The Disney Fantasy will sail her maiden voyage on April 7, 2012, bringing even more innovation, unique guest experiences and personalized service for which Disney Cruise Line is renowned. A sister ship to the Disney Dream, the Disney Fantasy will feature an AquaDuck water coaster, magical children’s areas, world-class entertainment, delightful dining, retreats for adults and immersive experiences for guests of all ages with beloved Disney stories and characters.

Guests will be able to book Disney Cruise Line sailings, including the Disney Fantasy, for the initial part of the 2012 season beginning Oct. 20, 2010. The Disney Fantasy will sail out of Port Canaveral, Fla. on the popular seven-night Caribbean itineraries – alternating eastern and western – including a stop at Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay.

The Disney Dream will continue to sail three-, four- and five-night cruises to the Bahamas and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, while the Disney Wonder will remain on the west coast, sailing Mexican Riviera itineraries from the Port of Los Angeles. To start the 2012 season, the Disney Magic will sail alternating eastern and western Caribbean itineraries.

“The Disney Fantasy continues our tradition of sailing beautifully-designed vessels that offer innovations, world-class guest service and memorable family vacation experiences like only Disney can do,” said Disney Cruise Line President Karl Holz. “We are delighted to expand our offerings to provide guests with more options and more flexibility to enjoy a Disney family cruise.”

Additional Disney Fantasy details and 2012 itinerary information will be released at a later date.

Last evening saw the commencement of the 2010 Sip & Stroll event from Disney D23. The bulk of the event to take place Saturday, Friday night was a relatively short (but incredibly sweet) time for most of the attending D23 members and their guests. After checking in for the event, guests were invited into the rotunda of the American Adventure pavilion for a wine and cheese reception.

A wide assortment of cheeses, fruits, vegetables and bread were available to sample along with an open bar offering wines, beers and soft drinks. Although I tried to fend off the temptation, I eventually had to cave and found a new love in the form of a combination of five English cheddars coupled with the cheese fondue.

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You’ve seen what happens when celebrities take on the ballroom, now see what happens when they hit the ice on blades of steel, in “Skating with the Stars.” The new series from BBC Worldwide Productions pairs a celebrity with a world class ice skater as they prepare to compete in front of a live audience in a televised ice skating competition. The skating pairs will be critiqued by a panel of expert judges and will receive a set of scores based on artistry and technique and by viewers at home, with one couple being eliminated each week. “Skating with the Stars” will kick off its six-episode run with a live premiere episode on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Before an audience of their peers, family and friends, the next chapter in a true-life Cinderella story unfolded this morning at Magic Kingdom Park as two Walt Disney World Cast Members were chosen to step into the time-honored role of Walt Disney World Ambassador. During a special ceremony in front of Cinderella Castle prior to park open, Norman Vossschulte and Jennifer Mason were named as the 40th Walt Disney World Ambassador Team and will serve from Jan. 1, 2011 – Dec. 31, 2012.

Although their permanent ‘play and greet’ environment isn’t yet completed at Magic Kingdom’s Fairytale Garden, as we previously reported, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider from Disney’s Tangled began making appearances today at Epcot.

Although we initially reported that they would be appearing at the International Gateway, we learned the hard way that the location may vary and in fact found the couple outside of the World Showplace, situated between the Canada and UK Pavilions. This is one of three locations used in Epcot to test out new characters and their friends, the others being the International Gateway and the area to the left of the American Adventure.

Navigating a rickety footbridge over a river chasm can be dicey enough for explorers. In an all-new Disney adventure, what lurks below that bridge may quicken their step to get to the other side: Crocodiles!

A ravine of menacing-looking crocs, pools of hippos, bushwalks along untracked terrain and other thrills await guests on Wild Africa Trek, a unique wildlife experience scheduled to launch in early 2011 into the deepest, most-remote reaches of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.